“Two and a Half Men” star Ashton Kutcher is going to outer space!

Demi Moore’s estranged husband will be taking the trip aboard Sir Richard Branson‘s Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo as early as next year.

Taking to his blog to promote the trip and announce that Kutcher would be joining, Branson wrote:

Great news today from our Astronaut Relations team at Virgin Galactic: our 500th future astronaut customer has just signed up! Even better news is that number 500 is Ashton Kutcher…I gave Ashton a quick call to congratulate and welcome him. He is as thrilled as we are at the prospect of being among the first to cross the final frontier (and back!) with us and to experience the magic of space for himself

Ashton is joining a fast expanding group of true pioneers who are on their way to a life changing experience and a place in the history books. It’s great to have him on board!

According to reports, other celebrities might also be joining Ashton Kutcher and Richard Branson on their journey to space, including Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

The cost of the round-trip journey to space and back to earth costs around $200,000 a person.

A launch date has yet to be set, but we hear the SpaceShipTwo will be ready for test flights sometime later this year.

Sounds like fun, but we’re not too sure about traveling to space … and the fact that all of these big time celebrities will be on board. What if something goes wrong?

[Image Credit: CelebSlam]

What do you think about this? Would you pay $200,000 to travel to space?

Hollywood gathered on a somber note last night (Sat Feb 11) at Clive Davis’ 2012 Pre-Grammy Gala, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, the same hotel where R&B legend Whitney Houston was found dead earlier in the day.

When the sad news broke, there were reports that the annual Clive Davis event would be canceled, but Davis — Houston’s longtime friend and mentor — said that the R&B/Pop icon “would have wanted the music to go on.”

“She loved music and she loved this night that celebrates music,” said Davis, adding that Houston’s family requested that the party continue.

Some of the many celebrities in attendance at the Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Richard Branson and Diana Ross included Diddy, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Quincy Jones, Kelly Rowland, Dr. Dre, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Wiz Khalifa, Amber Rose, Jamie Foxx, Kim Kardashian, Gabrielle Union and more.

The star-studded event also featured performances from Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Pitbull, Marsha Ambrosius, Wiz Khalifa, Jessie J and others. Monica and Brandy were slated to perform their new single “It All Belongs to Me”, but we’re told they were unable to because they were too devastated about Whitney Houston’s passing.

Diana Ross, who was being honored at the event, told a red carpet reporter, “I won’t be able to enjoy it,” when she was asked how she felt about being the night’s guest of honor.

“By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney’s passing,” Clive Davis said at the start of the evening. “I don’t have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life. She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn’t scheduled to perform.”

He continued, “Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage with her regal presence and gave so many memorable performances here over the years. Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on.”

Check out 40+ photos from the Clive Davis 2012 Pre-Grammy Gala below:

Check out your boy Drake pictured along with Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson hanging out of the cockpit of his very own Virgin America Airlines plane: “Air Drake.” Sir Branson celebrated the launch of his first Virgin flight between Toronto and California by naming an airplane after the Young Money rapper who is a Toronto native.

Drake and Branson touched down in Toronto at the Pearson International Airport Tuesday (Jun 29) on a special flight from Los Angeles via Virgin Airlines. “Air Drake” is Virgin’s first international aircraft and it provides flights between Toronto and 2 of California’s most popular cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“It’s breathtaking to stand out here and stare at this plane,” Drake told Spinner shortly after arriving in Toronto with Virgin Group chairman Sir Richard Branson on the plane’s inaugural flight. “It’s phenomenal.”

“We’re honoured to name our plane Air Drake,” echoed Branson. “He’s Canadian through and through; he’s one of the most successful Canadians. He bridges the gap between Canada and America very successfully.”

The plane took off from LAX in Los Angeles at 5:30 AM and arrived in Toronto nearly 11 hours later. And in that time frame, Drake was able to get some serious business advice from one of the richest men in the world.

“He wanted advice on running companies.” Branson recalled. “I said the key is finding great people, not trying to do everything yourself — learning the art of delegation, not second guessing people.”

“He told me I’m making the right moves,” Drake elaborated, “doing [good] things for my city, being able to create jobs in the city. I’m on the right path.”

Drake also spoke on how honored he is to be considered an ambassador from Canada.

“I’m honoured to be called a representative and ambassador; however people want to chalk it up,” he said. “I don’t go to the States and go to Europe and forget where I’m from. I say every night at the end of my shows ‘I’m just a 23-year-old kid from Toronto Canada,’ so I appreciate the love. I’m just honoured that my city loves me at all ’cause I love this city so much,” he added. “I remember walking around [suburban Toronto Mall] Yorkdale with my friends saying, ‘One day we’re gonna do it’ and [now] we’re doing it.”

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Well damn… Drake’s the first rapper to have his first airplane named after him. And he didn’t even have to pay a dime for it! Wow…